Unit 13

COLD WAR

End of WWII

The end of the war turned one time allies into two different sides of a new conflict

The USSR and the USA turned against each other in a political battle of thrust

Background of the Cold War

Soviet: the featured goal of the USSR was the spread of communism around the world

US: to counter this, the US enacted a policy known as “Containment”: the attempt to stop the spread of communism in the world

Two Different Ideologies

Yalta: Early in the 1st year of WWII - the Allied leaders (FDR,Churchill,Stalin) met to discuss the end of the war and what post-war Europe would look like Potsdam: in the final days of the war

(Truman instead of FDR)-Divided up Germany – giving each of the 4 major allies a zone to run (US,Great Britain,France,USSR)

Allied Conferences

Eastern Europe- after freeing Eastern European countries from German control the Soviets were suppose to give back there freedom

“Spheres of Influence”- USSR dominated Eastern Europe so the US and Great Britain tried to influence rest of Europe

“Iron Curtain”- an imaginary line that descended over the center of Europe, dividing the communist east from the free west

Soviet Expansion

Truman Doctrine: US plan to stop the spread of communism around the world

Marshall Plan: an economic plan proposed by US Secretary of State George Marshall

-plan offered economic aid to war torn European nations to help rebuild their economy and keep the threat of communism there at bay NATO: 12 member nations, led by US,

agreed to support one another in a military alliance

American reaction to Soviets

US occupation of Japan- For nearly 7 years after WWII US helped Japan rebuild

physically and economically- US needed allies in Asia and wanted a strong Japan on its side

Domino Theory: belief that if communism was not stopped someplace, neighboring nations would fall to communism and continue to fall; much like a line of dominoes will fall if 1st one is tipped over

Korean War: after WWII Korea was split into 2 North-communist South-democratic

- North invaded south to make 1 communist nation- United Nations stopped the invasion

CONTAINMENT

Berlin Airlift- Communists tried to force the allies out of

Berlin- Cut off all supply routes into Berlin- The allies flew supplies for almost a year- Communists finally ended the blockadeEisenhower Doctrine- US would use military if needed to support

nations in the Middle East that were threatened by communist aggression

Cold War Crisis

Arms Race- Race between 2 “super powers” (US and

USSR) to gather bigger, better, and more weapons

Space Race- Began when USSR put Sputnik satellite into

orbit in 1957- Mostly a race for national pride- US spent millions of dollars to increase

education in sciences and math- US eventually 1st to orbit and land on the

moon

Rosenbergs- controversial trial accusing Julius and Ethel

Rosenberg of transferring secrets about the atomic bomb program to communists

- convicted – sentenced to die – executedMcCarthyism- Word used to describe a controversial “witch hunt”

based on little evidence, rumors, lies, bullying, and many other unprofessional actions

- Many of the time violating individual’s rights and often ruining people’s reputations un necessarily

Cold War at Home